


For when time isn't enough

by auriadne



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Bro bonding, Friendship, M/M, but prompto totally has a crush, i feel like this could be read as platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 09:24:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12702006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auriadne/pseuds/auriadne
Summary: Clarus is dead, and Gladio bottles it up. Prompto knows a lot about bottling up trauma and family issues.





	For when time isn't enough

**Author's Note:**

> wow I dug this up from an old ff15 file I made almost an entire year ago. I spruced it up and finished so tada!  
> If I recall I was super angsty about the lack of Gladio character/emotional development, and the fact that neither he nor Iris ever addressed that their dad straight up died during Kingsglaive like... cmon that was all past me wanted.

The few days that followed the fall of Insomia were strained at best and painful at worst. Seeing the city in shambles firsthand sealed the deal- the king was dead, and their mission was cast in a new light. Noctis had broken down in a way Prompto had never seen. He struggled between trying to be a comforting best friend, and feeling entirely out of place in the whole situation.

It was clear that it affected Ignis and Gladio as well no matter how hard they tried to cover it up; but Prompto felt like the eternal outsider, lacking the same connection as the other three. Only their pain made him feel something.

The first week of travel after was awkward and heavy. Noctis and Gladio in particular seemed to be taking out their pent up frustration with the takeover of the capital city on every monster, daemon, or Magitek soldier that crossed their paths.

It was getting out of hand.

“Calm yourselves.” Ignis accosted the prince and his shield after a particularly grueling fight with a Red Giant. “It will all be a waste if you throw your lives away in careless anger.” Noctis scoffed, sword disappearing in a flurry of lights as he made his way back to the Regalia.

Gladio, however, shot back. “I don’t tell you how to live your life so don’t tell me how to live mine.”

“Hey, Big Guy, Iggy’s just trying to help.” Prompto jumped in, getting between the two in a pacifying gesture.

“This isn’t a healthy way to cope. It’s affecting your job.”

The larger man took a step forward, focused on Ignis, not noticing how he crowded Prompto’s space. “My job? It’s practically all I have left now. Don’t think for a second that I’d let the prince down.”

“Your anger is making you sloppy. Look.” Ignis was right. Prompto cringed at the gnarly burn that coiled around the brunette's arm. It was sure to add to his collection of scars. 

Gladio glanced down, face twisting slightly, and bit out, “I’m fine.”

He was lying. It was so obvious, especially to Prompto. “Dude, you’re so not fine.”

“Can it, Prompto.”

His sharp tone cut through the blonde just as much as anything physical.

“Your father-“ Ignis started.

“Ignis.  **Don’t.** ” The severity of glare sent a shiver through the blonde. Gladio could be intense, but he never sounded this aggressive towards them. Not to mention, Prompto could tell by the way Gladio’s muscles and jaw tensed that he was holding himself back for the sake of the group.

This was certainly going to make for a long car ride. 

The squad stopped at Old Lestallum for the night before heading out to meet up with Cor. The entire drive over was silent with Prompto occasionally trying to break it with light conversation. But no one was having it. Noctis was asleep, or at least pretending to be. Ignis had resigned to silence after another argument with Gladio. And the latter was seething in the back seat.

All and all g _reat_.

It only got greater when Ignis asked if he’d share the room at the motel with the big ball of anger himself. Noctis was irritated at Gladio, and honestly so was Ignis. It took a special kind of bull headedness to get on Iggy’s nerves so the blonde couldn’t refuse.

Even though he was intimidated at the prospect.

Gladio was intimidating by nature. It was kind of a good trait to have as a body guard. But Prompto _knew him-_ knew him for all his quirks and kindheartedness that weren’t so superficially apparent. How he liked to bring Iris flowers and back in Insomnia he used to help Prompto when he was adamant about feeding every stray animal on the street. Not to mention his love of trashy romance novels and Cup Noodles. Right now, none of that was clear in the man, and it worried him.

Something he was holding back was eating at him slowly.

A loud bang had Prompto jumping before he even got in the hotel room. He dropped the room key to the floor, scrambling to grab it and fit it in the lock with unsteady hands. The door swung opened, revealing Gladio cradling his bloodied hand. Prompto’s brows furrowed as he approached carefully. “Gladio, are you alright?”

“More or less.” The other sounded dismissive and didn’t even bother to face him.

“Let me see.” He reached out towards Gladio and his injured hand, but he brushed aside the contact.

_“No.”_

Prompto eyed the blood and likely bruised knuckles, and frowned. It wasn’t only his hand that he was consciously hurting. Their recent battles and his new recklessness left the older covered in a smattering of other injuries. Gladio was definitely pushing himself too far. “Punching things isn’t going to make it better.” Prompto finally said.

“You don’t know that.”

“Iggy said-“

Gladio snapped at him, hand tightening into a fist. “Prompto, if you don’t shut up about this-“

It was borderline threatening and that pissed him off. “You’ll what, Gladio? Stop talking to me like that!” Prompto’s outburst surprised the shield. "We’re friends, aren’t we?" Gladio’s eyes went wide at his own actions and softened at the anger that read clear across the blonde’s face.

He cursed, biting out a bitter apology.

“Prom, this isn’t about you, and I would never... I'm not going to hurt you.“ He almost sounded… sad? Frustrated, even? There was a certain vulnerability to this Gladio that made him believe he was finally peeling back the layers.

“I know, but don’t you see how you’re acting?” Gladio grimaced in a tight line. This time he purposely avoided Prompto’s gaze, and he had to try again. “How long are you going to let this consume you?”

“Until I’m stronger.” The fury flared back up in his dark eyes.

And all it did was unsettle him.

* * *

 

Prompto wanted to say things were getting better. Maybe they were. Gladio was less confrontational to them, but he had the nagging suspicion that things still weren’t right.

It only worsened after he received a call from Iris when they were near the Alstor Slough. Gladio smiled while chatting with her, and Prompto watched him intently.

The way Gladio grinned and laughed seemed wrong like there was something darker underlying it all. It took Prompto a few minutes to recognize what was so off-putting. _It was fake_. He recognized that fake smile because it was one he had to put on for years. His brows knitted together in thought. 

Noctis passed by, teasing him about the crease that formed on his forehead. He played along, copying Gladio’s expression and sticking out his tongue at his friend.

“Iris says hi, Noct.” The oldest called out, shooting a glance over his shoulder. Noctis just shrugged noncommittally.

“You could at least try to be nice to my sister. She’s infatuated with you.”

“She is?” The prince sounded dumbfounded. 

Gladio grumbled when Noctis walked off to where Ignis was refilling the car. He sighed deeply, face falling to a frown.

He didn't recognize that the blonde was still watching him. “Are you okay?” Prompto asked after a brief moment of quiet.

“Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, my wounds have been healing up pretty well thanks to the potion stash.” He said, rolling his shoulder as if to prove the point.

“No, that’s not what I mean. Your phone call- there was something off.” Prompto repeated himself. This time changing his inflection. “Are  _you_  okay?’

Gladio bit his lip- eyes darting to where Iggy and Noct were at the gas station. He turned back to meet Prompto’s with a frown. “How can you tell?”

“You’re not a time bomb waiting to go off anymore, but you’re still not yourself. You don’t bother much with us, but you were faking happiness for your sister.”

Gladio let out a low whistle. “I didn’t know you were that perceptive.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“No.” Gladio moved to walk away, but Prompto stood in his way.

“Tell me. This has been going on for three weeks.” It pained him to see his friends strained by their mission and this mysterious issue Gladio was having. And he was hopeful that maybe, just maybe, if Gladio trusted him enough to tell him, then he could help.

Gladio was silent for a moment. Prompto didn’t flinch when his dark eyes bored into his own. It culminated in a low, defeated groan as he turned away from Prompto. His hand curled, motioning for the younger to follow him. So Prompto did.

He was a little nervous. This was something the brunette had been keeping to himself for weeks. But at the same time, Prompto felt guilty for the bit of happiness that sparked within him at this sign of trust. Gladio led him behind one of the trailers at the pit stop. His voice dipped low. “It’s my father.”

Prompto remembered him from the few times he visited Noctis at the citadel- a noble man, always by the king's side. Gladio's shoulders slumped slightly. “He gave his life failing to protect the king.”

Oh.

Prompto’s blood ran cold. It all made sense. Why he was so angry and upset. Why it had lasted this long, and why Iris brought it up again. The Amicita’s were a close, proud family. The loss of his father- Prompto could sympathize with the pain, though he never knew of his own.

And Gladio, trying to save face and not admit to his emotions, was staunchly bottling it up. Putting on a brave face at the expense of his own well-being. That Prompto did empathize with as he was guilty of doing the same all too often. It usually only made things worse.

Prompto’s words were a hair above a whisper. “How could you not tell us your father died?”

The older man finally faced him again, jaw clenched into a tight line. “It’s not important. What’s important is that we get the prince to Altissia.”

The blonde balked. Gladio couldn’t be for real. _How could he dismiss this when it was clearly upsetting him?_ “Are you serious? You can’t just ignore this.”

“Yes, I can. It’s my job to stay level headed in these situations.”

“If that’s what you call it. Does Noct know?”

“No, and you aren’t going to tell him.”

Prompto frowned. “I will if you don’t deal with this.”

Gladio’s steeled gaze shot through him like an arrow. “Is that a threat?”

Tension emanated from the conversation, making him too aware of how Gladio stood there like a fucking mountain compared to his own slight frame. Nevertheless, he squared his shoulders and stood up straighter to stand his ground. “If it has to be. You’re not okay. I’m not the only one who’s noticed it. You’ve been snapping at us- not to mention you’re hardly sleeping-“

The brunette scoffed. “I don’t need you to mother me too. I get it enough from Ignis.”

“I’m just trying to look out for you. It’s the least I can do.”

“So? You confronted me with this. Do you have a plan to fix it?”

Prompto stalled. “I- no. Of course not. I-“ He stammered.

“Then why did you want to know?”

“I thought you might need to talk about it.” Gladio scoffed again, and it ticked him off. He didn’t have to approach Gladio with this. Prompto had thought it was the right thing to do. Too bad he didn’t anticipate Gladio being a dick about it. “I don’t fucking know. I’m trying to help. I don’t know what else to do, and it’s my job to keep the group together.”

Gladio looked at him for a long moment. Prompto did his best to keep the look of resolve in his eyes, but it wavered and so did Gladio’s stubbornness. “You’re trying to help me, and I’m being an ass. Sorry. I’m not one to talk about this touchy feely crap.”

“But-“ The blonde was cut off as a hand covered his shoulder. 

“I’ll handle this in my own way. And Prom- don’t worry about me. I’ll get through it. Worry about Noctis instead.”

Prompto did worry about Noctis- all the time.

But that didn’t lessen his worry for Gladio too.

* * *

 

Handling it in his own way meant ditching them at the cape while they had to go get mithril. The broken group felt wrong. The seat behind him was too empty, the tent was too quiet at night, and who was supposed spar with him in the morning- Noctis was too busy being out cold, and Ignis was too busy cooking breakfast.

He had never expected how noticeable the big Gladio shaped hole in his life would be.

The other’s seemed to go about business as usual- nonplussed by Gladio’s sudden unexplained absence. Prompto, however, found himself stuck on it. _What was he doing?_ For a guy who put Noct’s safety above all else including the loss of his father’s life and his own- this seemed like a jump in the opposite direction.

When it was Gladio who emerged alongside Noct from the reactor in Lestallum. Prompto grinned and in the spur of the moment- hugged him.

“Woah there, Prom. Miss me much?” He teased- his tone seemed lighter than before. That was good, but the sight of the new scars that marred his body made Prompto’s stomach drop.

Prompto let go, punching him lightly in the chest. “Hey man, how can you just ditch us like that and come back all scarred up and expect me not to worry?”

Gladio laughed, and for the first time in a long while, it was genuine.

* * *

 

“What the-!” Prompto was thrown back with a great force, skidding across the asphalt painfully by the impact of blunt side of Gladio’s sword just in time for him to be missed by the greatsword of the Iron Giant that crashed down where he once to stood.

He groaned. That was something he was going to feel in the morning, but it was better than being crushed by a daemon. Noctis took the creature down with a final warpstrike from the Sword of the Wise.

Ignis admonished him like an angry mother. “ _Prompto Argentum._ ” He shivered at the use of his full name.

He scrambled to pick up his camera that been knocked out of his hands when Gladio pushed him out of the way. He inspected the lens, everything seemed alright with it, which was a relief. Though it didn’t do much to assuage the other’s judging stares.

“What? I’m fine. Just a few scrapes.”

Gladio rolled his eyes. “Thanks to me. Blondie, pay more attention to the daemon and less to your camera. Unless you want that photo to be your last.”

He stuck out his tongue. It crossed his mind that their roles had changed, and now Gladio was worrying about him.

_So why did that make him feel so happy?_

* * *

 

It was long after Noctis and Ignis had went to bed. Prompto was about to join them at camp but found himself approaching Gladio instead. The brunette was sitting at the edge of the haven. The stone’s light casting the area in an unnatural glow.

Prompto took a chance and sat next to him. “Thanks for saving me today.” He muttered.

Gladio’s voice was light. “I save your ass all the time.”

That was true, but today made him feel different. Happy- that Gladio paid attention to him in battle, that he worried, and that _he did something about it._ It irritated him to no end that he craved attention like this, but it was the reality of his situation.

“ _Why?_ ” He asked with a hint of exasperation.

Gladio raised a brow. “I can’t read your mind, Prompto.”

He sighed. It wasn’t like he really wanted to ask this aloud, but it was path he already put himself on so what the hell. “Why do you care?”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing.” He muttered under his breath. Gladio’s hand fell to his shoulder. It was too warm, too steady. It made him quake. His gaze followed the inked feathers that twined around his arm and up to his face.

Suddenly, Prompto felt 20 degrees too warm.

“I’ve always cared, Prom.” Gladio spoke at last, and he was grateful for it because it finally gave him something to focus on that wasn’t how the light of the haven highlighted his rugged good looks or the soft- maybe even fond- expression that crossed his face. “You’re too thoughtful. Worrying about me and what happened to my dad.”

“I don’t even know my real father, and my adopted parents were never any better really.” Prompto blurted out, regretting over sharing immediately. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that- not when your…”

His hand squeezed his shoulder lightly. “It’s okay.”

“It’s just none of my parents ever cared much for me… that’s why I want to help. Clarus, he cared about you and Iris. I thought it would be tough.”

“It is. I’m sorry.”

“No. Don’t focus on me. I just wanted to offer to talk if you need it. To get things off your chest or to vent. I can be here for that.” It was the least he could offer, and the only thing that only he could do in the group.

Gladio took a sharp intake of breath. His hand dropped away, and it made Prompto frown. It wasn’t until a full minute later that he finally breached the silence. “He died in the line of duty like he was supposed to. Its honorable. I shouldn’t be upset.”

He was upset. Even now that the anger had subsided. Prompto could see the melancholy in his eyes. He spoke softly and carefully. “He was your father. I’d be more worried if you weren’t.”

“But it’s something I’ve come to terms with for myself and Noctis.” Prompto gulped at his resolve. Gladio would die for Noctis, but would he do the same? He liked to think the answer was yes, but if the time came would he have the same resolve as Gladio?

“You never thought it’d come to this. None of us expected the attack. So even if his job was risky, you didn’t think he’d die.”

“I wish I had been there.”

“You shouldn’t. Then you may have died. At least here, we have a chance with Noctis.”

A small grin drew across his lips. “You’ve been spending too much time with Iggy. You’re starting to sound smart.”

“Hey~” Prompto punched his shoulder lightly. “I’ve always been smart.”

“Says the guy who got stuck in the mud trying to take a picture of a cateolpolus.”

“That was one time.”

Gladio leaned back on his hands to look up at the sky. It was bright with stars. That was one of the things Prompto liked the most about camping and about being out in the wilderness instead of the safety of a city. It was the only place the stars really shone.

The brunette glanced his way with a smirk that made his heart skip. “Maybe this talking thing isn’t so terrible.”

Prompto practically beamed.

They stayed there in relative but comfortable silence for nearly another half hour. For once the silence wasn’t oppressive or worrisome. Instead, it was a pleasant thing.

It was when Prompto yawned, announcing he was going to turn in for the night, that Gladio spoke up. “They’re idiots.” Gladio muttered under his breath. Prompto met him with a confused stare, cocking his head to the side. “Your parents in Insomnia. For ignoring you.”

“Oh.”

“You’re a good man.” Heat was beginning to curl up the blonde’s neck, staining the tips of his ears pink. Thank the Six, it was dark out. “Anyone in their right mind would be proud.”

It didn’t stop him from stammering out some half-cobbled response in his flushed, embarrassment at the sincerity of Gladio’s praise. “You can’t say stuff like that to me out of the blue!”

“What? You embarrassed? I’m only telling you the truth.” He grinned widely at Prompto’s reaction.

“Tell it a little less sincerely!”

“You want me to lie?”

“No.” He groaned. That wasn’t what he meant. What he wanted was for him not to sound so damn endearing when he did it because it was that tone that made Prompto feel things that he was worried about.

“Well Prom, I have something else to tell you.” He waited for a teasingly long time, eating up Prompto’s anticipation. “ _Thank you_.”

**Author's Note:**

> my ff15 ship is prompto x the love and appreciation he deserves


End file.
